Mexican matricula consular ID documenting illegal aliens

What is green and red, includes a photograph, is needed only by illegal aliens
and is issued here in the United States - by a foreign government?

No idea? A hint - it's a photo ID card.

More clues.

What is printed in Spanish is deemed to be a "criminal threat" and
a "potential terror threat" to this country by the FBI Office of Intelligence
- but is accepted by many American banks, hospitals and local and state governments?

More?

What has been labeled as an "un-reliable form of identification"
by the Department of Justice, but can be used to board an airplane in America
- during a war on terror?

Give up?

Answer: A Mexican matricula consular photo identification card. Don't feel
bad if you didn't know the answer - most Americans haven't a clue what a matricula
consular is either. That is not an accident.

A brief history and some insight into the little-known matricula consular:

On Aug. 29, 2001, in a speech to both Houses of the U.S. Congress, President
Vicente Fox of Mexico said the Mexicans who were here illegally at the time were
"entitled to legalized status" and later demanded that President Bush
"solve the problem before the year ends."

Even before the horror of 9/11, public opinion worked against the impending
amnesty - er - "guest-worker" proposal for the millions of illegal aliens
already here.

Following 9/11 and because of the resulting now obvious Homeland Security issues,
the plan to repeat the "one-time amnesty" of 1986 and "legalize"
the millions of illegal aliens in the U.S. was taken off the table. Several other
things however, did not change.

Here, the unrelenting demand from "willing employers" for taxpayer-subsidized
labor continued - as did the craving of American banks for the highly profitable
business of the enormous illegal alien market.

In Mexico, the demand for the billions of U. S. dollars sent home by the "migrants"
- "remittances" (more than $16 billion last year, an estimated $20 billion
this year) - also remained unchanged.

Remittances are now the single largest source of revenue for Mexico - larger
than Pemex, the state-owned oil company, and foreign investment and tourism. Real,
legal immigrants who have entered the United States according to American law
have a valid visa, a passport - and access to a little detail called "Lawful
Permanent Residency" (a "Green Card".) All serve as valid identification.

Illegal aliens have none of these.

Shortly after 9/11, Mexico began what Marti Dinerstein of The Center for Immigration
Studies describes as an "aggressive grassroots lobbying campaign to win acceptance
for the matricula consular at the local and state level, especially in areas where
large numbers of Mexicans resided."

Like Georgia. The city of Atlanta began official acceptance last year.

The Mexican government, American business and the powerful open borders - illegal
alien lobby (sorry, I repeat myself) is quick to point out that possession of
the matricula consular does not reflect immigration status.

Indeed.

Make no mistake, issuing - and accepting - the matricula consular encourages
and accommodates illegal immigration. Illegal immigration has actually increased
since 9/11/2001.

Feel safer?

The campaign has been wildly successful - and profitable. According to the
Mexico City newspaper El Universal, as of January of this year, 4.5 million Mexicans
had these ID cards and they are accepted in 386 cities, 164 counties and 338 financial
institutions in our republic.

Mexico's stated goal is to have issued 6 million matriculas by the end of this
year.

Because of its ease of forgery and the lack of security - not to mention fingerprinting
- involved in issuing the Mexican ID, it is not accepted by most banks in Mexico
and may not be used to obtain the federally issued Mexican voter ID - or state
issued Mexican driver's licenses.

American police report that it is not uncommon to come across people in possession
of multiple matricula consulars - all with different names.

Blockbuster Video does not accept the matricula consular to open an account
to rent a DVD.

Ten states in the U.S. accept the matricula as valid ID to issue an American
driver's license, thereby eliminating the need for the matricula.

Handy, si?

How hard to get is the Mexican matricula consular? Ask to see one of mine.

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